PHOTOS OF THE REDECORATING PROJECT THAT TOOK
FOREVER AND EVER, AT LEAST A MONTH

(Starring Igor the Cat)

Time Frame: December 2002 - January 2003

 

My boring front door
(from outside)

Introductory Bragging
I didn't use any stencils or rulers or special equipment. (Although a ladder would have been nice.)
All the details are my own design (based on Art Nouveau clip art), done freehand.
I stained / painted, cut and hung all the molding myself.
(Funny joke that only Ez will get: I did buy a tape-measure before I started, so now I have one.)

 

Click on the thumbnails. (Some have comments if you hold your mouse over them.)
Full-size photos will pop up in a separate window.

 

Living Room: Before
It wasn't always this messy. All the stuff from the back rooms had to go stay in the living room while I painted back there. It's not always this dark, either. My camera is just kind of sucky.

Living Room: After

I'm going to do something with the door, I just don't know what yet. I built the damn pedestals and shelving myself. The perspective is bad -- that's a queen size bed back there.
Incidentally, that silver chest of drawers was a gift from Ez. Thanks again, Ez! It's perfect for my art supplies. Look! Freehand pedestal-molding! LOOK AT IT, DAMMIT! THAT WAS HARD! I WANT OOOHs and AAAHs!! My dad built this mirror a long time ago! It's magic.

 

Whatever: Before
(It's supposed to be a dining room)

This used to be the Li-berry. Little known Dadist technique: "Painting Around the Cat"

Whatever: After

There was going to be a mural back there behind the "castle wall" but I didn't want to get it all done and then get tired of it. I think I'll just hang paintings.

 

Kitchen:
I didn't take any "before" pictures; it looked pretty much the
same only dingy and greasy. The border-paper was up there before;
I had to paint around it.

And it was a damn pain in the butt to paint around, too. Where do the posters go when you don't want to cover up your lovely new walls? When I'm no longer sick and tired of redecorating, I'm going to build some shelves for this!
I like the ceiling molding between the white and the black. I was afraid they'd clash, but this sets them apart nicely. How the kitchen looks when clean How the kitchen usually looks

 

Hall: Before

Hall: After

Molding is cool!

 

Bathroom: Before

Booooooor-ing.

Bathroom: After

You don't need a $7 sponge to make textures. I discovered that crinkled-up paper works just fine. It was really hot painting up by those lights. I made the SHELF-THINGIE, TOO, so there. No, there's no water in there. I'm not entirely happy with this mural, but I can add on to it later when I feel like painting again. Guess how many coats of metallic silver it takes to cover old bathroom paint? THREE.

 

 

Library: Before

Library: After

Yellow?! In my house? You've got to be kidding, right? It's so...cheerful! Ick!

But something kept telling me to paint it yellow. So I listened. I love it. All the books
and shelves calm the color right down, and I've successfully made "yellow" into a
goth shade. I can't wait to see it with all the green trees outside that balcony in the summer.

It's kind of washed-out in the photos. The actual name of the shade, as written on the
paint label, is "YAZOO YELLOW". So that should give you an idea.

I always thought that poster of Marilyn on the potty with a book would be great for the "Reading-Is-Fundamental" program.

 

Bedroom: Before

That's a giant black cloth. It's so dark in there now that I don't even need to cover the window when I sleep anymore!

Bedroom: After
I'm not partial to gold, but I couldn't get the idea out of my head
that it would be perfect for the molding and trim. I'm glad I did it!


 

Now I just have to replace the cupboards, the closet doors, the blinds, the carpet, the linoleum...

 

I signed my house.

 

ADDENDUM:
as of SEPTEMBER 25, 2007

I moved.
We had to paint over everything.
It hurt.

Eventually there will be new pictures
of whatever we decide to do to the new apartment,
just as soon as we can afford to do anything to it,
and then finally make a decision as to what to do with it.